1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of collating picture frames recorded on photographic film with prints made from these picture frames. In particular, the invention is a collating method which utilizes customer identification data recorded on a magnetic recording layer of the photographic film, hereinafter referred to as film ID data, and customer identification data recorded on photographic prints, hereinafter referred to as print ID data.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an exposed photographic film is forwarded to an agency for photofinishing, the agency writes the name of the customer, the content of ordered processing and other relevant information on a prescribed customer's order envelope, and packs the exposed film in the envelope. The envelope containing the film is forwarded to a photofinishing laboratory, hereinafter called simply a photo-lab, wherein a pair of ID check labels having the same ID number, e.g. 4-digits of numeric data, recorded thereon are generated and placed onto the exposed film and the envelope respectively.
Thereafter, the exposed film is subjected to development and printing. Collation between a developed film and a set of prints made from the film is performed in a conventional manner. A first print of the set is compared with a leading one of the picture frames of the film, or original frames, so as to determine whether the first print contains the same picture as the leading original frame. Next, the last print in the set is compared with a trailing original frame of the same film so as to check the identity thereof in a similar manner. When each pair of pictures is determined to be identical, it is judged that the print set correctly corresponds to the film. Then, the ID check label on the film and that on the envelope are compared with each other so as to pack the film and prints collated with each other into the corresponding envelope having the same ID number as the film. The envelopes containing the films and prints are then delivered to the proper customers.
Because the above-described conventional collating method needs to view pictures on photographic film and compare them with print pictures, it is cumbersome and time consuming. Furthermore, because it is necessary to place the ID check labels onto the photographic film and envelopes for collating with each other, processing time and labor is increased.
Recently, photographic film has been suggested, for example, in International Publication No. WO 90/04205, which has a magnetic recording layer on a side of the base film opposite a photosensitive emulsion layer. The magnetic recording layer is used to record film type (positive or negative, sensitivity, available frame number, film maker) and other photographic data.